To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency has made in tackling the diversion of Xanax from the regulated supply chain to the criminal market; for what reason that diversion has taken place; how many prosecutions there have been; and what plans have been put in place to prevent that diversion | They work for you, UK

Alarm surrounding the bizarre effects of the latest street drug can be seductive and makes for excellent headlines. But, ask Emily Goddard and Ian Hamilton, what about the harm this causes? | Independent, UK

Online course exploring key studies on harm reduction and treatment now complete. The 25 instalments
remain freely available, enabling you to become an expert on drug treatment research | Drug and
Alcohol Findings, UK

[Registration required] There has been a lot of interest in the conference and all tickets are now allocated. Therefore for those who would have liked to come or who found it too difficult to travel to Glasgow on Thursday, we will be broadcasting, as a webinar, the whole of the conference | Hepatitis Scotland, UK

A new study published in Child Abuse and Neglect finds between 2010-2015, 60 opioids were prescribed for every 100 people in California and New York. While in West Virginia, Kentucky and Louisiana, it was more than 100 prescriptions per 100 people | Medical Xpress, USA

A widely used naloxone nasal spray (NNS) and naloxone injection (NIJ), otherwise known as Narcan and Evzio, which are administered to prevent opioid overdose deaths, were found to be chemically stable up for at least ten months and beyond one year of the expiration date, respectively | Medical Xpress, USA

[Video] A product that was intended to help adult smokers quit and reduce harm has addicted a new generation of non-smokers at epidemic levels, potentially undoing years of tobacco control progress. This panel discussed what must be done right now to stop the exploitation of our youth and young adults | Truth Initiative, USA

Approximately one-third of patients with epilepsy presents seizures despite adequate treatment. Hence, there is the need to search for new therapeutic options. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major chemical component of the resin of Cannabis sativa plant, most commonly known as marijuana | Springer Link, USA

Individuals who seek help for an alcohol use disorder (AUD) may be presented with either of two treatment goals: abstinence or no heavy-drinking days, which are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in testing medications to treat AUD | Newswire, USA

Video. New research shows decriminalising cannabis and introducing a regulated market would be a boost for New Zealand's economy. The Government is working through plans to hold a referendum on legalising cannabis on or before the 2020 election | RNZ, New Zealand

Desomorphine has been in the news lately. Never heard of it? That’s quite possible. But you may well have heard its street name: “Krokodil.” However you know it, it’s a cheap substitute for heroin that has been widely branded a “flesh-eating zombie drug” – and it’s bad news | Conversation, USA

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